The Bakehouse

Once Cullompton’s family grocer as the original signwork still proclaims, the Bakehouse is now a fabulous café and bistro just minutes from the motorway. Painted bright teal with bottle green tiles and a mosaic entrance, it’s an eye-catching addition to the High Street. Inside, there’s a homely collection of antique furniture with a large serving hub in the centre, buzzing with life and stacked with teetering cakes; the vegan sticky ginger cake is delicious. A corridor at the back opens up into another room where a wood burner crackles against the bare brick walls and broad windows in cooler months. It gives on to a narrow, flower-dressed courtyard for soaking up the sun over a latte.

Breakfast is served until 11.30am. Lunch is simple and scrummy with soup, salads, generous sandwiches (perhaps brie, streaky bacon and cranberry, or a Cajun chicken toastie), not to mention Bakehouse favourites such as ham and eggs, chicken or beef burgers and the daily specials for a bigger bite. Ingredients are all locally sourced, and none more so than the apple juice, which originates from just 100m away.